The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1887-07-16
CHILDISH OPPOSITION.


The enemies to Utah have set out to
defeat the Statehood movement by urg'
ing various silly propositions against
the scheme. OF course they will have
to present childish objections, for none
other can be devised. The Territory is
conceded to have the population entitl-
ing it to admission to the Union no
one denies that it possesses the material
wealth requisite to carrying on State
government, and nobody can say that
the people are incapable of self-govern-
ment. Having framed a Constitution
providing for a republican government
and also declaring the Territory to be
in harmony with the nation at large in
the matter of polygamy, no fair or
reasonable objection to admission into
the Union can be urged, hence the
enemies to Utah come forward with
childish and unreasonable pro-
positions. One of these, and the
one which is being urged most
vigorously, is that the State would
Immediately call a convention and
strike from the Constitution the clause
prohibiting polygamy. There is not an
editor who presents this who takes any
stock in his own arguments. There Is
not one who does not know that the
proposition is ridiculous. In the first
place, there is nothing to suggest that
if they had tin their power TO remove
the prohibition which they are about to
proclaim, the people would do SO. No hon |
est person at all familiar with the CON-
munity orwho kn1w5 ought of the facts
will say that the polygamous marriages
lately have been so numerous as to sug-
gest thar the people are inclined TO-
wards them. The courts, with all Their
diligence and power, have been unable
to discover more than half a dozen cases
of plural marriages in four years. As
suredIy this would not indicate any |
marked degree Of anxiety on tne part !
Of the people to contract such mar
riages. Whatever inclination in that
direction may exist, would naturally !
and necessarily diminish when the |
people had themselves set the seal 0 |
condemnation on the practice, declared |
it to be a misdemeanor and incom-
patibIs with g republican form Of GOV
eminent, and provided severe penalties
for those who violate the prohibitarv
provision But if the Mormons were
disposed TO change the Constitution in
this respect after admission to the
Union, they could not do it, because
they have blocked and hedged against
q change which shall not be sanctioned
BY Congress. It's not likely Congress,
which has done SO much to pat d stop
to the practice, would consent to the
change in the Constitution which some
editors seem to fear is contemplated.
It is urged, however, by few editors
who ought to know better, and who do
know better, that neither the people Of
Utah nor Congress can bind the com Il
munity as 10 its future; that any clause
in the Constitution may be altered.
amended Or eliminated at the will Of the
majority, and Congress would be power
less 10 prevent. All OF which is idle
and gidiculou5 assertion. On this mat
ter the San Francisco Call ilteIligentlv
remarks as follows;
A morning contemporary assumes thatthe
United States would be helpless in the mat ! !
ter if Utah should come into the Union as +;
an anti-pOlygamOuS State, and should after /
ward change her Constitution a - 2 Y
ME pOlygamOuS marriage as lawful While :
there Is no express provision in the national q
Constitution which authorizes the National c
Congress to take from a State its State gov ! 4:
ernmenJ there is in all constitutions a gen l
eral provision against fraud. II Territory I
which sustained pOlygamy should, 10 get it :
self admitted into the Union, adopt an anti
pOlyganOuS constitution, and should after 7
ward call a Constitutional Convention and !
re-establish polygamy, the chances are that
the United states would lind some way 10 | c
convince such State that its little game =
would not work Precisely how that would |
be done is matter for future consideration 7
L would be an anon slOus condition OF
things II g State can remain in the Union |
under a constitution that would have been (
regarded RS sufficient ground for lis rejec-
ZION as an applicant for admission.
If Congress could not prevent the
suggested change, if it could not hold
the State to the conditions upon which
it was admitted to the Union the
nation would be weak indeed. But il Is
idle to discuss so childish proposition
first, because there is no likelihood of
the people of Utah ever desiring to
change the Constitution as suggested,
aad second, because it would be out of
their power to make the change if thew
should ever want to. IF the opponents
of Statehood can urge nothing more
forci5le than this, they had better stand
aside snd permit the Territory to enter
the Union without protest.
DON'T DECEIVE NnuRSErES